Tasters Trio: Fiesta Mexicana

I admit it. I am intimidated by authentic Mexican restaurants. I become overwhelmed with the endless options on the giant menu, and I don't typically like to dine in restaurants that serve food I can't pronounce. Fortunately, the staff at Fiesta Mexicana alleviates a lot of these road blocks by simply being good hosts. The staff are friendly and attentive, offering complimentary chips and salsa for customers to sample while they decide what to order. They have also numbered the menu items so a diner can order an entrée without having to stumble through garbled Spanish. This week's Tasters Trio tried three different menu items:

Camarones Al La Crema (butterflied prawns with sautéed mushrooms)

When I think of Mexican food, I seldom think of seafood, which is why I chose this meal to sample. To be honest, the plate wasn't visually appealing, but the food was hot and smelled great.

I didn't notice at first, but instead of prawns, I received shrimp – and it wasn't butterflied. A minor discrepancy in what was written on the menu. Everything in the dish went well together and had good flavor. The parmesan and wine sauce wasn't too rich as many parmesan cream sauces tend to be. I enjoyed the meal and would order it again. -Georgie Kulczyk

Mango Loco (Shrimp in sweet and spicy mango sauce)

I've never had shrimp that didn't taste good. This meal didn't disappoint me. The sweet and spicy sauce had a good smoky flavor from the chipotle in it, and I liked the little bit of mango I could taste.

The rice and refried beans were good enough, but the best part was the sweet and spicy shrimp.

We also tried the fried ice cream, as we heard it was good. It was. If you're tempted to try it, keep in mind that the serving size is likely enough for 3-4 people. -Parker Kulczyk

Vegetarian Burrito

Not to mark myself out as a West Coast transplant, but it's very refreshing to find a vegetarian entree of any kind on a menu here in town. Now, I do like my meat and potatoes, but it's nice to be able to mix it up with something a little different from time to time. Fiesta Mexicana's veggie option comes stuffed with rice and rancho beans in a flour tortilla, topped with sour cream, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes and melted cheeses. The ingredients are fresh, tasty, and filling, and at this point (the Courier office is just around the corner), I really don't need a menu to make my selection. At $10.50, the price point seems a bit high, but I certainly never go home hungry or dissatisfied. -James Walling